At a gift exchange this past Christmas I received (arguably) the coolest book I’ve ever seen. It’s called “A Quiz Compend of Mortuary Science,” and it’s a question-and-answer format textbook designed to teach everything a mortuary scientist might be asked in a class or on an exam (I presume). No pictures, just wonderful text. A random example:
Q. Name three functions of food in the body.
A: 1. To yield energy. 2. To provide material for growth of tissues. 3. To regulate body processes.
Q: Name the lobes of the liver.
A: Right, left, quadrate, and caudate.
Q: List the mechanical and chemical digestive processes.
A; Mechanical: Mastication, deglutition, peristaltic action of esophagus, movements of the stomach, movements of the intestine, defecation. Chemical: Splitting of complex substances into simpler ones, enzyme hydrolysis, the formation of: a. simple sugars, b. amino acids, c. Glycerine and fatty acids.
Q: Describe the gall bladder.
On and on and on. Sections include: Anatomy. Microbiology. Chemistry. Pathology. Embalming. Restorative Art. Mortuary Administration. Mortuary Law. If I was reading this for a class, I’d despair; having encountered it in civilian life, I expect I’ll have much of it memorized by the end of the year.